He kissed her harder, wet and hurting, bruising her lips. His hands gripped her waist, his fingers biting into her, all she wanted was more. God, she could almost come if he only kissed her long enough, just kissed her like this.

He pulled back, brushed her hair with his lips, with his cheek. He was breathing as hard as she was. He still had her up against the car, his body pressing her against the cold steel. His hands slid down over her hips, dug in again. She couldn’t have moved even if he hadn’t been holding her so tightly. She could barely breath.

“Jagger…”

“Fuck. I’m so sorry, Mia Rose.”

“No. That’s not it.”

“What, then?” He looked down at her his eyes glittering in the silvery light of the streetlamp a few feet away.

Possessed by the demon of Promiscuity, immortal warrior Paris is irresistibly seductive—but his potent allure comes at a terrible price. Every night he must bed someone new, or weaken and die. And the woman he craves above all others is the one woman he’d thought was forever beyond his reach…until now. Newly possessed by the demon of Wrath, Sienna Blackstone is racked by a ruthless need to punish those around her. Yet, in Paris’s arms the vulnerable beauty finds soul-searing passion and incredible peace. Until a blood feud between ancient enemies heats up. Will the battle against gods, angels and creatures of the night bind them eternally– or tear them apart?

Are you excited as I am for this book? I’m pretty sure I can speak for many, many of us readers when I say that we all have been nearly dying for this book! Today is the day! YAY! It’s one of the most anticipated stories of the series. I think I may need to call out of work just so I can read (and savor) every bit of this book….

Admit it ladies. The first time you met Paris, you liked him. As the series progressed, you started to fall more and more each time you read him. You got to the point where you were begging for any appearance of him you could get. Well, the time has finally come for us to read Paris’s long awaited story. I seriously can not wait to get my hands on this book!

Ms. Showalter has created this family of demons that have stolen out hearts. Some more so than others. She is an awesome storyteller with a great sense of humor. She can write some super hot steamy romance scenes that will leave pleading for more. At the same time, she will put you on the edge of your seat in suspense. And just when you think you know what will happen, well, think again.

I had the privilege of meeting her at a signing in New York City last summer. Ms. Showalter is one of the most sincere authors I have ever met. She was humble, warm, friendly and happy to be there for her fans who have followed her over the years. She is one of my favorite authors. Happy Release Day, Gena!

In honor of the release of The Darkest Seduction, my friend over at The Secret Corner blog is giving away the first book in this series, The Darkest Night. Go and enter on her blog and become a follower. Leave a comment here too telling me which book was your favorite of the series and you will be entered twice! Good luck!

What a quick and sexy read this was! It only took me about two hours to read this little number, but I wished it took me longer.

Jessie and her bisexual friend Paul have been friends for over 10 years. Jessie has had feelings for Paul since they met but has never acted on them. She felt their friendship was too important so she didn’t want to chance it. After being convinced into going on a relaxing camping trip with Paul and his boyfriend, Noah, she accepts. Little do the friends know, that this trip is going to be anything but relaxing. This soothing, restful trip turns into a hot and erotic workout that ends with something more than they ever expected.

Overall, I enjoyed this story very much but I would have liked to see what would have happened once they returned home. The end is kind of happens faster than I expected, but it still leaves me satisfied, as do many of Ms. Bradley’s books. This is a short story with some hot and steamy outdoor loving and enough character development that will leave you wanting more.

A very reliable source told me this story was loosely based on a true story….so my mind was running wild with what could have happened and couldn’t have! 😉

To sum it up: His name is Hardy Cates. He’s a self-made millionaire who comes from the wrong side of the tracks. He’s made enemies in the rough-and-tumble ride to the top of Houston’s oil industry. He’s got hot blood in his veins, and vengeance on his mind.

She’s Haven Travis. Despite her family’s money, she refuses to set out on the path they’ve chosen for her. But when Haven marries a man her family disapproves of, her life is set on a new and dangerous course. Two years later, Haven comes home, determined to guard her heart. And Hardy Cates, a family enemy, is the last person she needs darkening her door or setting her soul on fire…

There are just simply no words for this book- it was that perfect. For all of you who have read my review for the first book in the series, Sugar Daddy, you’re all aware that I felt the story was lacking big time in the romance department. It wasn’t enough to completely make me want to stop reading, but it was enough to make me a little skeptical about reading the second book in the series, Blue Eyed Devil. But I’m very happy to say, there was definitely enough romance in this book to satisfy me, and not affect the rating! I’ll be the first to admit, as a rule, I tend to avoid anything revolving around the whole “instant attraction” thing between a hero and heroine, while reading my romance novels- but… Blue Eyed Devil is most definitely an exception. Let’s just say, that Haven’s first encounter with Hardy was enough to have me fanning the sweat off my brow! …and I’ll never look at wine cellars the same…

I really truly loved and cared for Haven’s character- She stayed in an abusive relationship, and even once she got out of it, she was still buried in feelings of worthlessness. Her ex-husband, Nick, had always blamed her for the abuse, (what a scum-bag!) and his conviction had spread through her. Never once did I get annoyed with her character, or any of the decisions that she made- she truly was a smart woman, who’s worst weakness was to be desperately needed- someone who mattered to someone.

When it comes to Hardy Cates, where do I even begin? Hardy may be the devil to the Travis family, but to Haven, he is everything wonderful, and dangerous, in a man. Let me just say, it’s very hard for me to find a hero who sticks with me long after reading there story- they’re few and far between… And I’m certainly happy to say that Hardy Cates is EVERYTHING you could ever want in a man, and is now considered one of my favorite heroes ever! …*sigh*… Everything that man said or did had me swooning.

Everything about this story was just simply so well developed. The story never felt rushed. The detail was never too much. And although the romantic relationship that develops between Hardy and Haven is kept at a pretty slow pace, I wouldn’t have had it any other way- it was something that I felt was necessary in order to help Haven with her much needed healing, and make this story only that much more believable. Blue-Eyed Devil was a story of healing, reclaiming your life, strength, and courage. It impressed me from page one to the very end, and was one of those books that stay with you long after reading it, and one that I’ll never stop raving about.

Some of my favorite swoon-worthy quotes…

– “Hardy spoke against my hair. ‘I want you to understand . . . you’re safe. I’m not going to hurt you in any way. And if I do something you don’t want, or you start to feel scared, I’ll stop. I’m not going to lose control.’ I flinched as I felt a tug at the front of my jeans and heard the snap being unfastened. ‘I’m just going to find out what you like.’ My fingers curled into his T-shirt as his hands ventured inside the loosened waist of my jeans. ‘I want to find out what you like too.’ ‘…I like it all, darlin’,’ he whispered, peeling my clothes off as if he were unwrapping a bandage. ‘I told you, I’m easy to please.’”

– “…he felt better than any human being I’d ever met. ‘Okay,’ I said unsteadily, ‘forget about what I said about not exchanging names. Who are you?’ …’for you honey, I’m trouble…'”

To sum it up: Liberty Jones has dreams and determination that will take her far away from Welcome, Texas- if she can keep her wild heart from ruling her mind. Hardy Cates sees Liberty as completely off-limits. His own ambitions are bigger than Welcome, and Liberty Jones is a complication he doesn’t need. But something magical and potent draws them to each other, in a dangerous attraction that is stronger than both of them.

When Hardy leaves town to pursue his plans, Liberty finds herself alone with a young sister to raise. Soon Liberty finds herself under the spell of a billionaire tycoon- a Sugar Daddy, one might say. But the relationship goes deeper than people think, and Liberty begins to discover secrets about her own family’s past.

Two men. One woman. A choice that can make her or break her. A woman you’ll root for every step of the way. A love story you’ll never forget…

This was my first Lisa Kleypas book, and let me just say- it won’t be my last! I was thoroughly impressed with her writing style, and she truly did write a beautiful story when she wrote Sugar Daddy… note that I said story… not LOVE story. Sure, the book might have revolved around her love for a man that she’s never been able to have, but I just didn’t feel like I got heavily into the romance aspect until I was a little more than half-way through the book. The first half of the book walks us through the heroine’s life during adolescence. However, the romance and conflict that took place during the last half of the book seemed a little too rushed for my taste. The scenes between Hardy and Liberty were few and far between, unfortunately. I just couldn’t help but feeling not only disappointed, but a little frustrated that so little of the book involved the two of them together. As for Gage and Liberty’s relationship, I just felt that there love story should have been longer and more detailed. When Gage first meets Liberty, he absolutely can’t stand the sight of her- yet after only a few pages or so later, his feelings have magically changed, and now he’s in love with her. It just seemed as if there feelings for each other were nothing stronger than lust. Everything about their relationship just seemed to fall into place too quickly, and too nicely wrapped up, if you know what I mean.

This book just wasn’t so heavy a romance novel, as it was just a good old-fashioned story. And unfortunately for me, that’s enough to take away some stars. One thing about this book that seemed a bit too over-the-top, is how descriptive everything was. And I mean EVERYTHING. From the inside decor of a fancy restaurant, to a cashmere throw- it just got to be a little too much, and I found myself wanting to skim through quite a bit, just to get back to the main story-line. To be fair, maybe that’s one thing fans of Lisa Kleypas love about her writing- for me though, it just became over-bearing.

Hardy was put on such a high pedestal in this story, that I found it disappointing to see that he turned out to be much more absorbed in his business endeavors, than he was about Liberty. Let’s just say that it was pretty obvious that Kleypas used this as an easy way out, in order to achieve that happy ending we all crave. After the amount of time that was invested into the whole Liberty and Hardy storyline, I couldn’t help but feel a little cheated with how neatly packaged the story wrapped up. With that being said though… I can’t wait to read Blue Eyed Devil- instead of only glimpses and a few short scenes involving Hardy, we get to read his entire story! …*sigh*… I think that more than makes up for his lack of appearance in Sugar Daddy!

All-in-all, I felt that this book was more “chick-lit” than romance, considering that we really don’t see the romance come into full effect until you’re more than half-way through the book. I did still enjoy reading about Liberty’s life journey, but let’s face it: when you’re an avid romance fan, it’s a big bummer when you come to find out that it takes a backseat in the book. All of the negative criticism aside though, I still felt that this was a good read- it felt deeper than your average romance novel, even though at times, I was left wishing for a little more of this, and a little less of that. Regardless though, Lisa Kleypas has a gift for story-telling, whether it’s filled with full-fledged romance or not.

This is one hot and steamy paranormal romance! It has vampires and erotic romance rolled into one-my favorite! It’s the first book to the Midnight Playground series and a good start at that. I think this book may be a long novella since I was able to read it in a few short hours. I had no idea it had menages in it. Maybe I should have looked at the cover first. Nice little surprise there. 🙂

Hex and Aleron have been together for ages, until Nissa walks in and captures the attention of both men. They all spend time together enjoying each others company…and boy oh boy was it hot! Ms. Bradley sure knows how to write a sex scene! But in the end, only one man is left standing with Nissa. I did feel sorry for the one male left on his own. It wasn’t a sad ending where they parted on bad terms…they clearly want each other to be happy…but I just want him to get his happy ending and hopefully he will. The Seeking Kiss was a quick and fast read that will keep your blood pumping until the very end.

This is my first read by this author. I like her writing style a lot and ordered some books online, waiting impatiently for them to come in the mail.

Professor Mia Rose teaches an Alternative Sexuality course at a university. She instructs others about the many different ways of exploring sexual fetishes. Little do her students know, she has a fetish herself. Food. Food for Mia Rose is a sensual, erotic, aphrodisiac. She loves watching it be prepared. The tastes…the textures on her palate…she loves everything about it.

Jagger James is a 26 year old student in her class. Even though he is only 26, he is very wise for his age. Jagger charms Mia Rose from the very first day they meet. When she finds out he was once a chef, she goes weak in the knees.

I really loved Jagger. I was so moved by his love and feelings for Mia Rose. He didn’t hide them at all, but instead he accepted his feelings with open arms. He tried to be around her every moment he could. I think it’s uncommon to see the male in a romance/erotic novel embrace his feelings. Men usually run towards the opposite direction. But Jagger didn’t. He knew of her fetish because he had one as well. I knew from the beginning how he felt and I really enjoyed reading about his emotions and his thoughts. Mia Rose, on the other hand, fought the chemistry between them because of the no-teacher-student-relationship thing. It wasn’t easy for her, he made her blood simmer. And when she saw him cook (in a kitchen that I really want!) she nearly turned into a puddle of pudding on the floor.

This is a fascinating eye-opening book. I never knew fetishes were this complex until I read this book. It’s much more than you could imagine… more to the “how” and “why” it happens. Ms. Bradley was able to delve deep into the psychology of her fetish and really bring her sexual fantasy to the surface. She was able to really get inside my mind and allow me to relate to it, while keeping me entertained with an erotic story. I’ve never read a book where the heroine is older than the hero. This was another first for me. Hmm…I seem to have a lot of firsts with Eden’s books. Ms. Bradley made food sexy…very sexy….and stimulating to read. This is a great book. Truly a book that I loved. I recommend it to all as a “must-read” for anyone seeking an erotic romance with a slight change of pace.

A few of my favorite parts-

“You have a little of the raspberry here…”She opened her eyes and looked up at him, He was bent over her, his face only a few inches from hers, his gray eyes gone dark and hazy. He pulled his hand away, licked the drop of sweet red sauce from his fingertip.She was shaking. Her gaze went from his mouth to his hand, to his eyes and back again.He leaned in, a fraction of an inch/ Her sex a sharp squeeze. She bit her lip.“Jesus, Mia Rose,” he muttered before he moved in to hiss her.

“Do you have any idea how real this is for me? Because I’m taking a hell of a chance here, with you. It’s like I’m slicing myself open, leaving myself raw. But I have to do it. I’ve been so damn hurt before. I was never going to chance this again. But I can’t not love you. Even if it tears me apart all over again.”“That makes it even worse!” Her heart was hammering, her whole body hurt.“Worse? He lifted himself up so he was braced on one elbow, looking down at her. He ran a hand through his hair. “What’s so bad about loving each other?” -Jagger to Mia Rose

“And I’m not going anywhere. You just need to let it be okay. Be with me. Love me. Let me love you.”

I love when it rains. The sound of rain drops splashing on the tops of roofs and against the thin glass of cheap windows does something for me. I swear I could watch and listen to the rain fall for hours.

Kara Crawford and Dante De Matteo (what a great name he has!) are both at a mutual friend’s house for a dinner party one night. They haven’t seen each other since high school. So when Kara sees Dante across the room, all grown up, looking more handsome than ever, she grabs her wine and takes off in the other direction. She abruptly decides that last thing she needs is another romance. After all, Kara is coming off a bad breakup that seemingly started when she told her now ex-boyfriend about her secret sexual fantasies. He thought she was nuts, calling her a freak after she finally shared one of her long desired sexual fantasies to him. The last thing she needs is another man telling her she’s too much of a freak.

After all those years, Dante now sees Kara from a different perspective. He too has life experiences that have shaped his views. He decides to sit down right next to her. They strike up an easy flowing conversation ending with a searing kiss… a kiss that reached all the way down deep inside Kara…possibly igniting that certain need she was looking for? What happens next is something I’m normally not a fan of: sex in the beginning of the book. But because Ms. Berlin established the background that formed the relationship between the two leading up to the scene, I felt comfortable with the eventual intimacy she revealed.

After a fiery ardent weekend, Kara returns to work to meet the new partner at her firm. Dante. She is shocked to the core to see him there. Immediately, Kara wants to put an end to their steamy relationship. But how can she when she’s finally getting what she wants in the bedroom…and liking it so much? It’s what she craved, what she needed. Being the dominate authoritative man that he is, Dante tells Kara it’s not happening; they’re not calling off this thing they’ve started. So their intimacy grows. Kara is falling for him more and more each time they are together. But long, deep-rooted issues from her childhood, that seem to always loom in the back of Kara’s mind, have pushed her to question every move Dante has made.

Did you ever have that feeling? That feeling where nothing makes sense at all yet you’re comfortably where you are supposed to be? That’s exactly what Kare and Dante are feeling. Nothing makes sense to them. Those burning desires and deep swirling emotions will leave them in a challenging predicament: one that could bring them closer or tear them apart.

There’s something to be said about sex, mixed with rain, that thrusts our desires. The idea of making love in the rain, while drops of water splash against your skin, seems to illuminate the act itself . And the same goes for being inside when it rains. It provides a warm closeness that makes you want to curl up on a cozy sofa or bed and lay there on it all day. Kara and Dante have lots of steamy scenes in the water. Oh boy, were they hot each time!

Is it possible to fall into subspace while reading one of Ms. Bradley’s books? Because I think I came close to it. I swear, this book made me feel all the sensations Kara was feeling. Ms. Bradley does not disappoint!

This book was provided by the author in return for an honest review. Thank you!

I never meant to make this such a long review, but here it is. I liked the book so much that I wanted to bring forth the well-done descriptive images Eden painted for us so you know it’s not just great sex she writes about. So here goes!

Oh…My…God. Talk about hot smokin’ sex! At times I felt like not even a dive in the Arctic Ocean could cool me down!

I was a little skeptical starting this book. To be honest, I was scared. I’ve never read a book with two women and a man. Heck, I hardly likde the ones with two males and a female. But since it’s Eden’s writing I gave it a chance. And I’m so glad I did! I loved this book so much! When I knew I only had about 20% left, I tried to find anything I could do but read. I didn’t want it to end and I wasn’t sure how it was going to end. This book has a different feel all together than her other books. I can’t quite explain it….I just know that I enjoyed it a lot. I’ll be sure to read this baby again very soon!

For a year now, Bettina has been involved in an online group for writers. It’s where a bunch of aspiring writers go to seek help with their writing. Every year they all get together at a beach front property in California for eight weeks. This year will be Bettina’s first year. They’ve all gotten to know each other pretty well online so she’s looking forward to this time away from home. Bettina is hoping that after a few years of therapy she’ll finally be ready to open up….and possibly find out who she is.

Upon arriving, she is greeted by the owner of the house, Viviane. Viviane has been hosting these eight week sessions for years now. She takes Bettina in and gives her the tour of the house. During the tour, she finally meets most of the members from the online writing group, except Jack, who hasn’t arrived yet. This is also where she meets Audrey. Audrey is like an ethereal creature that exudes sexuality. Immediately, Bettina is drawn to Audrey. Nearly everyone is drawn to Audrey. She is sensual and beautiful who always has a smile on her face. Since Bettina has never been attracted to another woman before, this feeling is entirely new for her…she’s not quite sure why she has these feelings for another woman, but she embraces it with open arms. They become very close in every way imaginable for the next few weeks, until Jack shows up.

Jack has been coming to this getaway for a few years now, so he knows everyone but Bettina. There is clearly some heat between them once they meet, and it’s addressed almost instantly. When Jack, Bettina and Audrey get together, they share some very erotic scenes that are sure to leave you all flustered…and panting! They were hot but sensual to read, and truthfully, I got to the point where I couldn’t wait for it. I mean, this book is entitled, ‘The Lovers’, so it was bound to happen sometime soon. Audrey is a free spirit so when Charles shows up (a friend who happens to live next door), she takes off with him, leaving Bettina and Jack in the sand. Jack and Bettina grow close and she finds herself becoming more attracted to him than what she wants to…even though Jack has made it quite clear he is not a relationship sort of man. The heart wants what the heart wants.

There’s so much more than the smoking hot sex scenes shared between the characters. Don’t get me wrong, they were hot and plentiful! But so was so the well developed characters with their strong emotions and feelings. They all have their own secrets they’re struggling with. It wasn’t just Bettina, Jack and Audrey, it was all the members of the writing group you get to know. Bettina is a bit of a recluse and hasn’t been with a man in a long time, but the therapy has been helping her. Jack idolized his father when he was younger but as he grew into a man, he saw what he didn’t want to be. He blames himself for the near death of an ex-girlfriend. He wants no attachments in a relationship- ever. So when he finds himself with these unknown feelings for Bettina, he turns to Audrey, who sweet talks him back to her. Audrey is like a feather in the wind. She comes and goes when she pleases. She was raped when she was younger so she has some emotional issues she’s dealing with. I felt like she doesn’t ever comes to terms with herself, almost as if she kind hides who she is. They all are on their own path to self discovery, I just think they didn’t know it at first.

The way Ms. Bradley describes California is exactly how I remember it. I’ve been there many times and she manages to capture the essence of it with a simple paragraph-

The beach is a long sweep of pales sand with a rocky outcropping some distance to the south and another to the north. A few houses are scattered on the edge of the dunes, some small cottages, some enormous places made all of glass, taking advantage of the spectacular view. The old cypress tree and eucalyptus trees grow in spots almost to the shore, and the sand is dotted with clumps of ice plant. It’s low tide and seaweed lies in the dark, curling strands at the edge of the water, waiting to be carried back out to float on the sea. I can smell the salt, tangy and fresh and energizing. I can feel the power of the waves as they surge in, then out.

I think I’m becoming addicted to Eden Bradley’s work. More so than her books written as Eve Berlin. Her books give me a glorious sensual high that I don’t want to come down from. They’re provocative and titillating yet passionate and captivating. Eden Bradley sure knows how to give a good read!

Here are a few of my favorite parts of this book:

The early-afternoon is high overhead, it’s golden rays warming my skin, fighting the damp, misty spray from the ocean.

He is silent again, and I focus waves of heat shimmering over the sand, a water mirage. A gull flies overhead, then another, and I watch them catch a current of air, spiraling upward together, their bodies dark silhouettes against the sun.

I grind my hips into him, and his tongue lashes into my mouth, tasting, pushing deeper. His hands move down and he grabs my butt, his fingers digging in just beneath the crease where the curve of flesh, meets my thighs. I moan softly, and he moans back, pulling me harder into him. Then he pushes back. I am left dazed. “Jack…?” “We can’t do this, Bettina.” “Wh-why not?” Hurt is flooding my body. Rejection. I am weak with it.

His kiss is hot, powerful, his tongue delving into my mouth. I taste him, swallow him up, and he does the same to me. We are on exactly the same sensual page and this time I know I’m not imagining it. Overwhelming. Beautiful. The ocean flows and recedes around us and I no longer feel the cold. The sun overhead is not nearly as brilliant as the heat blooming between us. And the entire earth just falls away, leaving nothing but the two of u. No sand, no sea. Just our bodies pressed together, our lips, our hands.

“I get that. You’ve made me get that. And I want to be different. Because of you. But I’m not going to be any good at this. At believing I deserve this, maybe. Not at first. But if you just hang in there with me….”

The sky is dark now, inky all over, except for the nearly full moon, And where it touches the water, reflecting, it gives just enough silvery light to see by. I lie back in the sand, which is still warm from the day, allowing my brain to empty, hoping for peace, and finding a little of it in that bottomless arc overhead.

The ocean’s throaty roar fills my ears, and it’s comforting, as though the sound itself is a blanket, holding me on the earth. It helps to make the inside of my quiet. I am soothed by the earth and water, and this is exactly what this place is for me since I’ve arrived, despite what I’m feeling now, the confusion I’ve been through.

Warning- this book is first person narrative and contains a lot of sex scenes (f/f, f/f/m, f/m) and adult language. So if you’re not comfortable with it, please don’t read it. You’ll just end up giving it a poor rating when it doesn’t deserve that.

To help promote Lisa Kleypas’s new novel, Rainshadow Road, Lisa’s Divas got together for a blog hop hosted by Under the Covers. Many thanks to that blog crew for putting this together!! xoxox

I was one of the lucky ducks to receive Rainshadow Road early. What a delight to read! I really enjoyed that book very much. I do hope you all go out and buy the book on release day. It’s another wonderfully written installment by Lisa. A true gem to add to your ever growing collection of books by her….Lords knows I have almost her entire back list. 🙂

My review for Rainshadow Road-

5 Stars!

Lucy’s trembling fingers came to his lips, caressing them gently. “Are you sure? How do you know it’s not just about sex?” “It’s about sex….sex with your mind, sex with your soul, sex with the color of your eyes, the smell of your skin. I want to sleep in your bed. I want you to be the first thing I see every morning and the last thing I see at night. I love you the way I thought I could never love someone.”

*swoon*

Well, she did it again. Lisa Kleypas has struck gold with the first book of her new series, Rainshadow Road. How does she do it every time? Once I started this book I wasn’t able to put it down….but that happens every time I read a Klyepas book. I’m beginning to feel envious of Lisa and I’m not even a writer, nor do I have aspirations to be one! Her work is fantastic every single time! Can she even write a bad book? The imagery she paints sets you right in the story without anything missing. Amazing! As always, Lisa Kleypas does not disappoint. You’ll be drawn by the magical colors, infectious humor and the love two people can share. This is surely another wonderful book to add to my Lisa Kleypas collection. Easily one of my favorites!

SPOILERS! Lucy and her sister, Alice, grew up in a strict household. The girls always followed the rules and never spoke out…always behaving as told…until everything changes when Alice falls ill with Meningitis. Forced to go to the neighbor’s house while Alice is at a doctor appointment, Lucy discovers the beauty of art glass. She is mesmerized by the changing of colors and shapes it can yield….setting in motion her fate. Once Alice is better and released from a stay at a hospital, she is granted whatever she wants. It’s all about Alice now. Doing what she wants when she wants, with Lucy’s parents constantly telling her, “not now Lucy”, leaving Lucy vying for her parents’ attention.

Fast forward to Lucy’s early twenties. Lucy never gave up on her love of glass. She knew as a young child what she wanted. Sometimes all you need is a little magic and belief in yourself. Lucy is now making a steady career with her passion of art glass. She has been in a relationship with Kevin for two years now and even though Lucy has some trust issues, she feels like she has made progress with Kevin, not to mention she loves him. They bought a house together and he’s taught her so much in life making her wonder how she can be so fascinated with him. It’s the little things he does that bring her joy. Her life is great, that is, until Kevin drops the bomb that he wants to separate. He has been seeing and sleeping with her sister, Alice. To Lucy, not only is this a complete and utter shock, but just another way of Alice getting her way. Lucy has helped Alice countless times over the years with whatever she has needed. But this time Alice has crossed the line and Lucy cannot forgive either of them for what they have done to her. Do you blame her?

Immediately after Kevin ended their relationship, he told Lucy she must leave so that her sister could move in. With no plans of anywhere to stay, she learned that her friends had a vacancy in their bed and breakfast home. While out one night having drinks, her fortune finally takes a turn for the better when she runs into a man she met a few weeks earlier along the shoreline. Coincidentally, he happens to be friends with Lucy’s friends who own the home she has been staying in. The sparks that were left simmering slowly start to ignite, just like they did that one rainy night.

While Lucy is trying to keep a platonic relationship with Sam, an unexpected accident leaves Lucy in Sam’s care. Lucy is noticing what an honest caring man Sam is. He’s intelligent, makes her laugh, and he’s hot to boot! But there’s one little problem: Sam is not a family man and he wants to stay a bachelor for the rest of his life! However, he too finds magic between them that is too hard to fight. Will Sam resist his feelings for Lucy? Or will he take a chance on what could be the love of a lifetime?

“Let me have you,” he had whispered, resting his forehead on hers. “Let me make love to you all night. I want to wake up with you again. Just tell me what you need, Lucy, and I’ll do it.” -Sam to Lucy SPOILERS END

Colors are a big part in this book, so you’ll need to let your imagination run wild with them.

“The early evening had turned the sky a dark purple, with an overlay of clouds like the silvery wax bloom on a plum.”

The colors are absolutely beautiful! That was probably one of my favorite parts too; reading the description of the colors. Whether it’d be the sky, the glass Lucy made, the ocean, a glass window, it was just….wow! So vibrant! But it had to be done just right too because of Lucy’s passion for art, and naturally it was. I would love to see where Lisa got her ideas for this book. I’ve always been big on colors so this was a fantastic read for me.

As ever, Lisa is well versed in writing her books. Whether it be her historicals or contemporaries, you can tell she did her homework and checked it repeatedly. This woman doesn’t miss a beat! As readers, we want the book cover to match what the book is about. And I have to say, I couldn’t have chosen a better book cover for this book. It was what the book was about and of course with stunning colors. Really, Lisa, you are amazing!

Here are some of my favorite parts of the book:

“Some distraction would be nice.” Lucy looked down at the periodic table that covered the front of her shirt. “Where is glass?” she asked, trying to read the chemical elements upside down. “Not on the periodic table. Glass is a compound. It’s mostly silica, which is….crap, I can’t think straight. It’s SiO2. Here…” He touched the Si, which happened to be located high on the right side of her chest. “And here.” The pad of his thumb brushed the O on her left side, close to the tip of her breast. “Glass also has sodium carbonate,” she said. “I think that’s….” Sam paused, struggling to concentrate. “…Na2CO3.” He studied to front of her shirt and shook his head. I can’t show you the sodium carbonate. Dangerous territory.” “What about calcium oxide?” His gaze scanned the shirt until he found it. He shook his head. “I’d have you on your back in about five seconds.”

Pushing away from her, Sam went to a tall stool and sat negligently. “Apparently, Kevin and Alice think the solution is to set you up with someone. They want some guy to romance you until you’re so full of endorphines, you won’t have a problem with them getting married anymore.” “And you’re suppose to be that guy?” she asked incredulously. “Mr. Endorphins?” “Speaking.”

“I look like a geek,” Lucy said. “I smell like a brewery. And I need a bra.” “My dream date.”

“I don’t trust my instincts where men are concerned,” Lucy said. “It’s like this article I read the other day about the decline of the firefly population. One of the reasons they’re disappearing is because of modern artificial lighting. Fireflies can’t find the signals of their mates, because they’re so distracted by porch lights, street lamps, illuminated sign letters…” “Poor things,” Zoe said. “Exactly,” Lucy said. “You think you’ve found the perfect mate and you head for him, blinking as fast as you can, and then you find out he’s a BIC lighters. I just can’t handle that again.”

In defense of geeks,” Justine said, “they’re great in bed. They fantasize a lot, so they’re really creative. And they love to play with gadgets.” As the two started laughing, Justine handed them a glass of wine. “Here. Whatever else you may say about Sam, he makes fantastic wine.”

“I don’t love you. Tell me you feel the same way.”

A big thank you to St. Martin’s press for sending me this advanced copy. I loved every minute of it.

~~~~~~

Being a Lisa’s Diva myself, St. Martin’s Press sent out hardcover copies of, Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor. So the giveaway today will be just that. A hardcover edition of Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor. Depending on how many comments and entries I receive, I may be able to give more than once copy away.

To be entered in the giveaway, just leave a comment telling me which Lisa Kleypas book is your favorite. If you have more than one, then go ahead and list it! I absolutely adore It Happened One Autumn, but I also loved Rainshadow Road.

*If you already have the book I’m giving away, I will be happy to do an ebook copy of another Lisa Kleypas book from either her Wallflower series or the Hathaway series.